FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — As the New England Patriots prepare to face off against the Washington Commanders in their preseason opener on Friday, franchise legend Tom Brady will be taking yet another step into the rarefied air of immortality.
Less than 90 minutes prior to kickoff, the Pats will honor the man many consider to be the greatest pro football player in history by revealing a 12-foot bronze statue in his likeness — the first player in the organization’s history to be commemorated with such a ceremony.
‘To perpetuate the legendary legacy of this once-in-a-lifetime player, the statue will stand alone in the plaza outside of the Hall of Fame to symbolize his position, not as the greatest in franchise history, but the greatest in all of NFL history," declared Patriots team owner Robert Kraft.
Therefore, it is only fitting that Brady, like his statue, will be forever recognized as “larger than life.”
For Patriots fans, the revealing of Brady's statue will serve as yet another validation for the team’s most indelible icon. The San Mateo, CA native entered the NFL as the 199th overall selection by the Patriots in the 2000 NFL Draft. The Michigan product ascended to the starting position in his second year with the team, in the aftermath of a devastating injury to then-starter Drew Bledsoe. In his first year as a starter, Brady led the Patriots to their first ever championship. He would go on to win five additional titles in New England, with his last coming as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020.
On the field, Brady’s place at the top of the pantheon of NFL greats has been firmly established. He finished his career with regular-season totals of 12,050 pass attempts for 7,753 completions (64.3 percent), 89,214 passing yards, 649 touchdowns and 212 interceptions.
Brady also dominated the postseason, where he compiled a record of 35-13, as well as a quarterback rating of 89.8. He completed 62.5 percent of his postseason passes for 13,400 yards, 88 passing touchdowns and 40 interceptions. Brady won seven of the ten Super Bowls in which he played, earning the big game’s MVP five times.
To most within the NFL universe, such greatness made him a deeply-envied villain.
However, even though he may have temporarily taken his talents to Tampa Bay, Tom Brady will forever be a Patriot deep in the heart of Pats Nation.
Despite being engulfed by a sea of envy in most of the country, Brady is still largely adored in New England; firmly entrenched among the immortal beloveds of New England sports. In fact, he might be the most admired sports figure in the history of a city that has been the home to such icons as Ted Williams, Bobby Orr, Larry Bird and Bill Russell.
Visions of game-winning drives, improbable comebacks and championship parades are forever a part of the region’s generational memory bank. Prior to his taking the reins as the Patriots starting quarterback in 2001, New England knew little but defeat. Since that time, they enjoyed an unparalleled success which is unlikely to be experienced again in competitive team sports.
Unsurprisingly, the organization honored Brady's retirement with both pregame and halftime ceremonies during their opening day matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023. After acting as the inaugural keeper for the newly-minted Gillette Stadium lighthouse, he began the halftime festivities by running out of the Pats home team tunnel, wearing his familiar No. 12 jersey.
The Pats legend was then honored with a first-of-its-kind ceremony inside Gillette Stadium to induct Brady as the 2024 inductee into the Patriots Hall of Fame — the first induction in team history to waive the customary four-year waiting period. The date of June 12 (6/12) represented the six championships he won during his Patriots tenure, as well as his iconic No. 12 jersey — which was retired in the same ceremony.
Accordingly, Patriots fandom will once again assemble on Friday evening to pay tribute to an athlete who not only helped resurrect a weary franchise, but also act as the catalyst in changing the culture of the region — and rightfully so.
After all, no matter where life may take him, Brady will do so with a great deal of New England in his heart — and a 12-foot testament to remind all who visit Foxborough that he was, is and always will be, “larger than life.”
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